MLB 2021 Season Thread

[Sport]

The Reds are 0-6 against the Padres this year. FTJ is the real deal. I hope to not see them again until the NLCS. 

 

  

11 hours ago, DNAsports said:

It’s a rule that allows the AL pitcher to hit against AL teams. Any AL pitcher could do this. It nullifies the importance of the DH in the AL.

 

 

Zero pitchers in the history of the sport have ever been as good at hitting as Ohtani. No argument. He's Babe Ruth. He's a massive exception to the average starting pitcher and in no way nullifies the importance of the DH. Also, he's the DH in games when he's not pitching so he's sort of an argument for the rule. The reason Ohtani was only seeking offers from AL teams instead of the NL is because of the DH.

[DCarp1231]

57 minutes ago, Sport said:

Zero pitchers in the history of the sport have ever been as good at hitting as Ohtani. No argument. He's Babe Ruth. He's a massive exception to the average starting pitcher and in no way nullifies the importance of the DH. Also, he's the DH in games when he's not pitching so he's sort of an argument for the rule. The reason Ohtani was only seeking offers from AL teams instead of the NL is because of the DH.

There’s no doubting he’s once in a lifetime, but if you allow this rule in the AL, you might as well go the full 9 and let him finish out the game as a hitter in the event he gets pulled from a start.

[habsfan1]

Happy Bobby Bonilla Day.

[schlim]

2 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

Happy Bobby Bonilla Day.

I understand why the Wilpons delayed payment on 5 million dollars at 8% interest when they were 'making' 15% on the same money from Madoff, but at this point, why don't the Mets just make a settlement offer instead of celebrating this every year? They even started a promotion with Airbnb to stay at the park with Bobby Bonilla today. It just seems so MIckey Mouse, but I guess it's fitting for the second tier of sports teams in NY (as a Jets fan, I know the depths of stupidity, futility and shortsightedness)

 

I mean, if the NBA owners figured a way to payoff the heirs of the St Louis Spirits ABA team out of their 1/8 share of TV rights in perpetuity (or whatever the deal was), the new Mets owner can easily find a few million dollars to make this go away.

 

[Shumway]

6 hours ago, DNAsports said:

There’s no doubting he’s once in a lifetime, but if you allow this rule in the AL, you might as well go the full 9 and let him finish out the game as a hitter in the event he gets pulled from a start.

The rule is that they forfeit the DH if they have the pitcher hit, so he'd have to pitch all 9 innings in order to stay in the lineup. 

[SFGiants58]

2 hours ago, schlim said:

I understand why the Wilpons delayed payment on 5 million dollars at 8% interest when they were 'making' 15% on the same money from Madoff, but at this point, why don't the Mets just make a settlement offer instead of celebrating this every year? They even started a promotion with Airbnb to stay at the park with Bobby Bonilla today. It just seems so MIckey Mouse, but I guess it's fitting for the second tier of sports teams in NY (as a Jets fan, I know the depths of stupidity, futility and shortsightedness)

 

 

Meh, it's fun. Having a sense of humor about your franchise is never a bad thing. Besides, this stuff has made Bonilla relevant long beyond his playing days and seems like a very smart investment plan that will keep him from winding up like dozens of other broke former athletes. 

 

There's always room for fun, especially since the Wilpons are in the rear-view mirror.

[tp49]

2 hours ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

Meh, it's fun. Having a sense of humor about your franchise is never a bad thing. Besides, this stuff has made Bonilla relevant long beyond his playing days and seems like a very smart investment plan that will keep him from winding up like dozens of other broke former athletes. 

 

There's always room for fun, especially since the Wilpons are in the rear-view mirror.

I have the Rotowear Bobby Bonilla Day t-shirt and got one for my dad too.  We both respect the shrewdness of the agent in that instance and TBH IMHO this was a better deal for the player too so that he had a consistent income stream in retirement.  Oh and the Wilpons can go to hell forever.

[schlim]

I don't want want my sentiments to sound pro management in any way, I'm just shocked the Mets are letting this go on.

 

I think its hysterical to pay 22 million to avoid a 5 million dollar bill, and am surprised they've let this go ok for so long and to continue to 2035!

[BBTV]

37 minutes ago, schlim said:

I don't want want my sentiments to sound pro management in any way, I'm just shocked the Mets are letting this go on.

 

I think its hysterical to pay 22 million to avoid a 5 million dollar bill, and am surprised they've let this go ok for so long and to continue to 2035!

they signed a deal. They don’t have options. 

[FiddySicks]

On 6/30/2021 at 8:24 PM, DiePerske said:

Hell, before they closed the loophole, Earl Weaver used to name the next day's starter as the DH and then pinch hit for him when the spot came up.

Ok, I’m confused. What’s the strategic advantage to this? 

[BBTV]

4 hours ago, FiddySicks said:

Ok, I’m confused. What’s the strategic advantage to this? 

 

I suppose the opposing team wouldn't know who was really in the lineup, and he could use a righty or lefty as DH depending on the opposing pitcher.  Doesn't seem like much of an advantage since the opposing manager should have a pretty good shot at correctly guessing who he'd use.

 

I guess theoretically, NL teams playing on the road could list their 4 resting starting pitchers at various places in the lineup, and then surprise the other team by inserting the real starting player as the pinch hitter if his spot comes up in the first inning.  Again, it's a trivial advantage - if even that.

[Red Comet]

19 hours ago, schlim said:

I understand why the Wilpons delayed payment on 5 million dollars at 8% interest when they were 'making' 15% on the same money from Madoff, but at this point, why don't the Mets just make a settlement offer instead of celebrating this every year? They even started a promotion with Airbnb to stay at the park with Bobby Bonilla today. It just seems so MIckey Mouse, but I guess it's fitting for the second tier of sports teams in NY (as a Jets fan, I know the depths of stupidity, futility and shortsightedness)

 

I mean, if the NBA owners figured a way to payoff the heirs of the St Louis Spirits ABA team out of their 1/8 share of TV rights in perpetuity (or whatever the deal was), the new Mets owner can easily find a few million dollars to make this go away.

 

At this point, it’s gone on so long that they might as well make it a celebration. Also gets people to talk about the Mets for a day.

[Sport]

Yesterday I learned that Bobby Bonilla also collects 500 grand from the Orioles every year. He started getting paid in 2004 and it's a 25 year deal. I hope he gives that agent of his nice gifts and dinners. 

[See Red]

20 hours ago, schlim said:

I understand why the Wilpons delayed payment on 5 million dollars at 8% interest when they were 'making' 15% on the same money from Madoff, but at this point, why don't the Mets just make a settlement offer instead of celebrating this every year?

 

I'm no financial expert so my math/method could be wrong but if they invested the $1.2m they owe him in 2035 at 10%, which is the average return for the S&P 500 over the last 30 years, it would be worth ~$5m by the time the payment is due.  Doing the same for the other 15-or-so years they'll pay him, the $18m they owe him would be close to $42m.  Minus that $18m, they still come out $24m ahead.

 

Again, the math could be wrong but the general idea is correct in that in general, if you owe somebody a set amount of money, you're better off waiting as long as you possibly can to pay it to them if you can otherwise invest it.  Especially since, for the Mets, the cost is just some egg on the face of the previous ownership.

[Sec19Row53]

9 hours ago, BBTV said:

 

I suppose the opposing team wouldn't know who was really in the lineup, and he could use a righty or lefty as DH depending on the opposing pitcher.  Doesn't seem like much of an advantage since the opposing manager should have a pretty good shot at correctly guessing who he'd use.

 

I guess theoretically, NL teams playing on the road could list their 4 resting starting pitchers at various places in the lineup, and then surprise the other team by inserting the real starting player as the pinch hitter if his spot comes up in the first inning.  Again, it's a trivial advantage - if even that.

Was it trivial? Yes.

Earl's theory was that if the starting pitcher were replaced before the DH came to the plate, maybe he'd have his OTHER DH bat. Remember Earl was big on platooning, and his DHs were one lefty batter and one righty batter. 

[SFGiants58]

Trevor Bauer is now on administrative leave. He will not appeal.
 

 

This will get even uglier.

[LMU]

24 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

Trevor Bauer is now on administrative leave. He will not appeal.
 

 

This will get even uglier.

The LA Times has a good legal analysis. Short version - there's reasonable doubt and expect a lawsuit.

 

[tp49]

34 minutes ago, LMU said:

The LA Times has a good legal analysis. Short version - there's reasonable doubt and expect a lawsuit.

 

I was talking with a couple of friends about this at lunch.  I said pretty much exactly what was written in this article without having seen it until just now.  While I'm not certain about a criminal prosecution, I think a fat civil suit is the direction this matter will go.

[SFGiants58]

The universe needs a new Lenny Dykstra. Of course, Dykstra didn’t escalate to sexual assault until much later.

[BBTV]

Why is it that a guy can pitch 8 innings and look cool as a cucumber, but then some idiot closer comes in and is out of breath and laboring after the first pitch?  This Phillies game was on pace to be over in 2.5 hours, until Joe Girardi, who's mom should have been arrested for littering the moment he came out of her, put in this douchebag closer.  Now, every pitch it's huffing and puffing, walking around the mound, more huffing and puffing, and then now probably blowing the lead after the first pitcher threw 8 shutout innings.